Honoring President Roosevelt’s legacy means recommitting to America’s conservation ethic
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Justin Meissen
As America marks 250 years, advocates call for renewed protection of the public lands legacy he helped build
WASHINGTON D.C. (June 25, 2026) — As the country prepares to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary, advocates are calling attention to a defining test of Roosevelt’s conservation legacy: whether today’s leaders will protect America’s public lands or weaken the very safeguards that keep them intact for future generations.
Known as the “conservation president,” President Roosevelt understood that these special landscapes are inextricably linked with our national identity, our freedom as a people and the legacy we leave behind for future generations.
During his presidency and following congressional passage, he signed the Antiquities Act, the country’s bedrock conservation law that has since protected over 130 national monuments for their historic, scientific, cultural, ecological and recreational values. Today, these special places safeguard our freedom to hunt, hike, camp, fish and explore over 18.6 million acres of shared public lands.
The nation’s 250th anniversary is a historic moment to celebrate America’s freedom, reflect on the future of our nation and consider what it will take to carry Roosevelt’s conservation legacy forward. But that legacy is again under threat, as the administration and members of Congress pursue policies that would weaken national monument protections, sell off or industrialize public lands, and undermine the public servants and agencies responsible for caring for them.
In response to the news:
The Wilderness Society’s Governing Council Member Theodore Roosevelt IV said:
“President Roosevelt believed America’s public lands belonged to all of us, and that each generation has a responsibility to pass them on stronger than we found them. Our country's 250th anniversary is a moment to celebrate that vision, but celebration alone is not enough. At a time when public lands and national monuments are again under threat, we should recommit to the conservation ethic that helped shape this country and ensure these places endure for all future generations.”
The Wilderness Society’s President Tracy Stone-Manning said:
“President Roosevelt recognized that the landscapes he protected would define who we are as a nation. Today, our public lands remain a great unifier, a shared inheritance and a symbol of our freedom as Americans. As we mark our nation’s 250th anniversary, our country should be talking about how we can hand our public lands down, not over. Roosevelt’s legacy is something not only to celebrate – but to defend.”
Our national monuments and public lands tell America’s story—landscapes rich with cultural meaning, wildlife habitat, clean water, outdoor traditions and the freedom to explore, recreate and experience places that connect us across generations. Reducing or revoking their protections breaks faith with communities and Tribes, and the country’s conservation legacy that has long- guided the stewardship of our public lands.
Access audio clips from an interview with Theodore Roosevelt IV. For media inquiries, contact Keri Gilliland, senior communications manager at kgilliland@tws.org
